Submitted by: MCAS Iwakuni
Story Identification Number: 200213021742
Story by Cpl. Trent Rundell
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan(February 1, 2002) -- By today's standards a biplane has little to offer in a combat environment. However, for the Marine Attack Squadron 211 Wake Island Avengers, the biplane was a starting point for a squadron whose name rings with decades of combat engagements.
The Avengers have one of the most significant backgrounds of the four AV-8B Harrier squadrons assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Attack Squadron 211 began as a fighter squadron in 1937, flying the Grumman F-3F biplane fighter aircraft at Naval Air Station San Diego. The squadron eventually packed up and moved to Ewa, Hawaii, in January 1941, where they changed the squadron name to VMA-211 and traded in their outdated aircraft for the Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat.
In November 1941, VMA-211 departed with their 12 Wildcats aboard the USS Enterprise for movement to Wake Island. What they could not predict were the heroic events that would take place there.
"We were part of one of the most significant battles of World War II," said Sgt. Maj. Carter Lanier, VMA-211 sergeant major. "I feel very honored to be a part of this squadron. We try and make the Marines understand and uphold the honor that comes with being an 'Avenger.'"
On Dec. 8, 1941, the Japanese attacked Wake Island, destroying seven of the 12 aircraft on the ground. In the next two weeks, the remaining five planes held off numerous attacks by the Japanese and caused great losses to the enemy. During the battle, the Marine ground forces and VMA-211 caused the loss of at least four enemy warships, and the remaining 211 pilots shot down at least 21 enemy aircraft.
Despite their efforts to maintain control of the island, the numerically superior enemy finally overran Wake Island on Dec. 25, 1941. What was left of the squadron was then transferred to Palmyra Atoll in the South Pacific and adopted the name "Avengers" in memory of those squadron members who were killed or captured on Wake Island. They fought the rest of the war flying the F-4U Corsair.
"I've been with the squadron for three years," said Cpl. John McAllister, airframes mechanic. "The way they defended Wake Island makes me proud about our history, but I'm also proud of the squadron today because we are one of the most respected Attack Harrier Squadrons around. I've seen Marines leave the squadron and request to come back, or pilots who have requested to come here because of the reputation we have."
In 1957, the squadron entered the era of the jet aircraft when it received its first A-4 Skyhawks and subsequently moved to El Toro, Calif., in 1958. However, their time in El Toro would be short lived, as another conflict began to brew in Vietnam. The Avengers moved to Japan in 1965 and commenced the first of four deployments to Vietnam.
In August 1976, the squadron returned to El Toro where it replaced its old A-4s with the latest Skyhawk model, the A-4M.
In September 1987, the squadron celebrated an aviation milestone when it passed 30 years of flying the McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. After successfully completing the last overseas deployment with the A-4M Skyhawk in 1989, VMA-211 began transferring these aircraft to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing in preparation for transition to the AV-8B Night Attack aircraft.
After 30 years of service, the A-4's were becoming outdated and the newer AV-8B Harrier could give the operational commander more options, noted Lanier. The new Harrier could land on a football field while a fixed-wing aircraft would have to use a runway, he added.
In June 1990, the squadron began flying the Night Attack Harrier. It presently flies both the standard and the Night Attack model, while receiving more Harriers and training pilots in the night attack mission.
The Avengers were named the Marine Corps Aviation Association "Attack Squadron of the Year" for 1995 and 1996. The squadron also received the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award in 1994, 1995 and 1996.
Today the squadron's mission is very different from their biplane-flying forefathers. Their mission is to provide close-air support, conduct armed reconnaissance and limited air-defense to Marine expeditionary forces.
However, no matter what the mission, the Avengers have always been ready to serve.
"It is something very special to be part of an organization of such elite people," said Capt. Van Davidson, director of safety. "If future Marines will uphold the history and standards set forth by our predecessors, then we will stay an elite squadron."
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